242 Teams Compete in 2015 Y.E.S. for Arkansas Competition

It’s an exciting year for Y.E.S. for Arkansas, with 242 teams of fifth- through eighth-graders from across the state participating in the 2015 youth business plan competition. This is the second-biggest competition pool in the 10-year history of Y.E.S. Students from 35 elementary and middle schools in 14 counties wrote original business plans to compete for prize money and an invitation to the Y.E.S. for Arkansas Expo Day. Judging is in progress, with more than 80 business, community, and education leaders evaluating the plans. The 25 finalists will be announced via video at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 10, at https://arcapital.com/aeaf/yes. The finalists are invited to participate in the Y.E.S for Arkansas Expo Day at Park Plaza on January 16, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Booths will be provided for the teams to display and demonstrate their business products and services to the public. Judges will score the booths to determine the winners in two categories: Best Marketing Piece and Best Retail Booth Display. The business plan judges will already have determined the winners in the Best Business Plan and Most Innovative Product. The 2015 winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at 1:30 p.m. at Park Plaza. The prizes below will be awarded for each of the four categories:

• 1st Place: $100 and a medal for each team member; $500 and a trophy for the advisor
• 2nd Place: $50 and a medal for each team member; $300 and a trophy for the advisor
• 3rd Place: $25 and a medal for each team member; $200 and a trophy for the advisor
• 4th Place: A medal for each team member; $100 and a trophy for the advisor

For more information about Y.E.S., please visit https://arcapital.com/aeaf/yes/, call (501) 374-9247, or email Shannon Frazeur at sfrazeur@arcapital.com.